Fountain pen



A. EMERSON FOUNTAIN PEN June 25, 1957 Filed May 6, 1955 INVENTOR M45ATTORNEY Ayhed Emersm BY -6% 2,796,850 FoUNTAIN PEN Alfred Emerson, NewYork, N. Y.

Application May 6, 1955, Serial No. 506,613

Claims. (Cl. 120-46) It is among the objects of this invention toprovide an improved fountain pen in which the entire barrel of the pencan be filled with ink thus providing a pen which, as compared with theconventional sack-type pens of the same size, has a greater inkcapacity.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a fountain pen whichhas no moving parts such as plungers, levers, etc. commonly employed inthe sack-type pens.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such pen which canquickly, readily and cleanly be filled with ink.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such pen in whichthe barrel portion thereof containing the ink reservoir is readilyremovable from the end piece containing the pen point thus permittingthe utilization of one and the same end piece, which represents the mostexpensive part of the pen, with a plurality of barrels so that the usercan employ spare barrels providing auxiliary supplies of ink with littleadded expense.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description thereof.

. In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification andshowing, for purposes of exemplification, a preferred form of thisinvention, without limiting the claimed invention to such illustrativeinstance:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view showing in separated position thebarrel and end piece; these two parts together form the fountain pen ofthis invention. The barrel is shown in vertical section and is brokenaway to permit illustration on a somewhat larger scale than wouldotherwise be possible. The end piece is shown partly in vertical sectionand partly in elevation.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing the barrel and end piece joinedas they would be in use of the fountain pen; the end piece is shownpartly in elevation and partly in vertical section, While the barrelportion is shown in vertical section.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view disclosing themannerof filling the ink reservoir in the barrel.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of a spare barrel and cap therefor whichmay be employed with the fountain pen of this invention. A

Referring to the drawing, indicates a fountain pen barrel preferably ofgenerally cylindrical shape, having a rounded upper end 11 and a lowerextension 12 of reduced diameter, as compared with the diameter ofbarrel 10. Desirably barrel 10 is of transparent plastic material, e.g., polystyrene, transparent methacrylate resins, etc., so that thevolume of ink therein is apparent at a glance thus enabling the user torefill the ink reservoir 14 whenever it is necessary so to do.

Extension 12, as shown in Figure 1, is cylindrical and has the threads13 on its periphery. This extension is dimensioned so that it snuglyfits within chamber 15 in end piece 16. Chamber 15 is provided withthreads 17 which engage the threads 13 when the barrel is in position onthe end piece 16, as shown in Figure 2. When the barrel 10 is threadedon to the end piece 16, walls 18 of the barrel abut the top walls 19 ofthe end piece 16, as best shown in Figure 2. 1

A hollow needle 21 passes through extension 12 and has end 22 thereofpositioned an appreciable distance from the interior wall 23 of thereservoir 14 for apurpose hereinafter explained. The opposite end 24 ofthe hollow needle 22 is pointed. This needle desirably is made ofstainless steel or other non-corroding metal of sufficient strength sothat the needle will puncture rubber or other plastic material employedin forming the washer 25 disposed in the base of chamber 15. Adjacentneedle 21 a vent passageway or duct 26 is formed in extension 12 forventing reservoir 14- when it is filled with ink, as more fullyexplained hereinafter.

End piece 16 carries the pen 27 which maybe of any conventional type andcommunicates with theinkfeed duct 28 having an enlarged end 29 toreceive the portion 38 of needle 21 extending beyond extension 12. Whenthe barrel 10 is not in place on end piece 16, washer25 seals the inkfeed duct 28 preventing entry of air thereinto which might cause leakageof residual ink in this duct. Washer 25 may be of rubber, synthetic ornatural, or other flexible plastic material which has the property ofsealing or closing any opening formed therein by the passagetherethrough of a sharp or pointed tool, such as the end 24 of thehollow needle 22. Thus, when the hollow needle 24 is retracted, in theposition shown in Figure 1, for example, washer 25 acts as a seal forany residual ink in duct 28, preventing the same from leaking.

In order to fill the reservoir 14, barrel 10 is removed by unthreadingextension 12 and removing it from the chamber 15. A polythene or otherbottle 31, preferably a transparent squeeze bottle, containing theink isthen positioned so that the hollow needle 24 penetrates through a cap 32formed with a projection 33 which serves to space the end of the barrel10 relative to cap 32 to permit venting of the reservoir 14 through thevent duct 26, asthe reservoir is filled. Cap 32 may be of polythene,rubber or other plastic readily penetrated by the needle 21. Bottle 31may be sealed with cap 32, the seal being broken by forcing needle 21through cap 32 when it is desired to fill the reservoir 14. Once the penis filled the bottle 31 is removed, simultaneously removing cap 32, andthe barrel 10 is then threaded into the end piece 16. When in thethreaded position shown in Figure 2 the vent opening 26 is sealed by thewasher 25; Hence, the feed of ink can only take place through the inkfeed duct 28 which is dimensioned to prevent leakage of ink but permitfeed of ink as consumed by the writer.

An important feature of the invention is that end 22 ofthe hollow needle21 extends beyond wall 23. This enables prompt, ready and clean fillingof the reservoir 14 and prevents'flow of ink during the filling of thereservoir along wall 23; such fiow would take place if the end 22 ofneedle 24 were flush with this wall 23. .Such flow .alongwall 23 wouldresult in the ink escaping through the lvent channel 26. By positioningthe hollow needle 22 asshownsuch'escape or loss of ink is avoided.

The spare barrel shown in Figure 4 is of the same construction as thebarrel shown in Figure l, and hence the parts thereof are identified bythe same reference characters. The barrel of Figure 4 is provided with acap '35 having a threaded cylindrical chamber 36 communitain pen which,as compared with a fountain pen of the sack type of the same dimensions,holds substantially more ink because the entire area of the barrel isavailable as an ink reservoir. The pen of this invention can be quickly,readily and cleanly refilled whenever necessary, as explained above. Inthe case of a transparent barrel it is always apparent to the user whenrefilling is necessary. It will be further noted, the pen of thisinvention involves no moving parts, such as plungers or levers.

I With the embodiment of this invention involving the use of a sparebarrel, the resultant construction is economical because the end pieceof the pen carrying the pen point represents the most expensive part ofthe pen; the barrel portion is relatively inexpensive. Hence, thisinvention, since it permits the ready replacement of the barrel, inefiect, provides the user with the equivalent of a number of pens at amaterial saving.

Since difler'ent embodiments of the fountain pen could be made withoutdeparting from the scope of this invention it is intended that allmatter disclosed in the above specification and shown in theaccompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense. Thus, While the construction shown in the drawinginvolving washer 25 is preferred, it will be understood that this washermay be omitted in embodiments involving a capillary ink feed duct 28. Inthis modification channel 26 is sealed, when the barrel is in place, bythe base or inner transverse wall of chamber 15, i. e., the extension 12and chamber 15 are so dimensioned that the end of extension 12 abuts thebase of chamber 15.

What is claimed is:

1. A fountain pen comprising a barrel providing an ink reservoir andhaving at one end thereof a hollow needle passing through a wall of saidreservoir, one end of said needle communicating with said reservoir andthe other end being permanently open so that the needle forms apassageway through which ink may flow from the reservoir and throughwhich ink from an external source may be introduced into the saidreservoir, said barrel having a vent therein near the said hollow needlefor venting the said reservoir during the filling thereof through thesaid hollow needle, an end piece formed with a chamber, a pen point onsaid end piece, said end piece being formed with an ink feed ductconnecting said chamber with said pen point and a puncture-sealingmember in said chamber sealing said feed duct when the end of saidbarrel carrying said needle is not positioned in said chamber, saidchamber being adapted to receive the end of said barrel carrying saidneedle with the needle passing through said member and communicablyconnecting said reservoir with said ink feed duct and with said ventsealed by said puncture-sealing member.

2. A fountain pen as defined in claim 1 in which said hollow needleextends an appreciable distance beyond the wall of said reservoir inwhich the needle is positioned so that the end of said needle withinsaid reservoir is spaced from said wall.

3. A fountain pen as defined in claim 1 in which said puncture-sealingmember is a self-sealing rubber washer and in which said hollow needleextends through a wall of said reservoir with one end of said needleextending into said reservoir being positioned an appreciable distensrom th in sr a wall 9f a d rsscr air th ss which it extends and theopposite end of said needle is pointed so that it can readily puncturesaid rubber sealing washer when the barrel is positioned relative tosaid and piece with the pointed end of said needle in contact with saidrubber washer.

4. A fountain pen comprising a longitudinally elongated barrel ofgenerally cylindrical shape providing an ink reservoir and having an endof reduced diameter as compared with the diameter of said barrel, saidend of reduced diameter having a vent passageway therein; a hollowneedle extending through said reduced-diameter end with one end of saidhollow needle disposed in said reservoir and positioned an appreciabledistance from the inner wall of said reservoir through which it extendsand the other end of said hollow needle being pointed; an end pieceformed with a substantially cylindrical chamber adapted to receive thereduced-diameter end of said barrel, a pen point on said end piece, saidend piece having an ink feed duct connecting said chamber with said penpoint, the end of said feed duct communicating with said chamber beingenlarged and dimensioned to snugly receive the end of said hollowneedle; a puncturesealing washer in said chamber sealing the saidenlarged end of the said feed duct when the barrel is not in position onsaid end piece and adapted to seal said vent passageway when the barrelis in position on said end piece.

5, A fountain pen Q KHPrising a longitudinally elongated barrelproviding an ink reservoir of generally cylindrical shape having athreaded end of reduced diameter as compared with the diameter of saidbarrel and provided with a vent passageway extending therethrough tovent the reservoir when it is being filled; a hollow needle extendingthrough said threaded end with one end of said hollow 1Q 1e disposed insaid reservoir and positioned an appreciable distance from the innerwall of said reservoir through which it extends and the other end ofsaid hollow needle being pointed and extending exteriorly of saidthreaded end; an end piece formed with a substantially cylindricalinteriorly threaded chamber adapted to receive the threaded end of saidbarrel; a pen point on said end piece; said end piece having an ink feedduct connecting said chamber with said pen point, the end of said feedduct communicating with said chamber having a shape congruent with thesaid exteriorly extending portion of said needle to snugly receive thesaid esteriorly extending portion of said needle; and a puncture-sealingwasher in said chamber sealing the said ink feed duct when the barrel isnot in position on said end piece and adapted to seal said ventpassageway when the barrel is in position on said end piece with thethreaded nd h reo h a d nt sa d h mb I- References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,808,377 Reichenbach June 2, 19312,229,749 Little Jan. 28, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 421,408 Italy May 22,1947 1 ran .---.,------?-..--t,-- 1811- 1

